11.10.13 - The Best Is Yet to Come 1st Reading: Job 19:23-27 – This morning’s passage comes mid-way through the Book of Job and falls w/in the 3rd debate of Job and his friends. At this point in time, Job has lost his livestock, servants, and children and is covered in sores. All he has left is his wife who tells him to “Curse God and die!” (vs. 2:9) But even w/what Job is enduring, and the lack of support he is receiving, we will read in vs. 25 that he says, “I know my redeemer lives”. 2nd Reading: Haggai 1:15(b)-2:9 – Haggai is one of the last of the OT prophets of God. If you look at the OT books, you will see Haggai, Zechariah and then Malachi; whose words close the Old Testament writings before we have the 400 years of silence. The theme of the Book of Haggai is basically “get busy and build the Lord’s house”; but the people are looking back instead of looking forward. Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonian’s in 587 B.C. and the people continue to lament that the new temple will lack the glory of Solomon’s temple. Through Haggai, God offers that the glory of the future temple will far exceed the glory of the old temple. (Ezr. 6:15-18) When I first looked at the readings for this morning, for some reason I felt they allowed us to tip toe to the edges of the Advent Season. The phrases we read in Haggai “that God is with the people” (vs. 4) and that “God’s Spirit remains among them” (vs. 5); along with the words from Job that “I know that my Redeemer lives” (vs. 25) and “I will see God” (vs. 26) offer us a combination of the present and the future. They offer us the words of affirmation that for the children of God; God is w/us, the Holy Spirit of God remains w/us; and at the appointed hour we will see God. It was those words that brought to mind “God with Us” – Emmanuel – whose birth we will soon begin to prepare for, and celebrate, in December. But even as I felt these passages could be celebratory readings, both passages present the uncomfortable truth of history, situational reality and despair for God’s people. For Haggai’s peers they were reflecting on the glory of the former temple and losing heart for the task, the work at hand, that God had called them to do; more than once at this point. The temple was to be completed, and what God is building will be greater than what lies in the past. With that in mind, our attention is drawn to vs. 9 “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house” says the Lord Almighty. We know this passage is about the rebuilding of a structure, and we understand the desire of the children of Israel to be able to once again worship in the house of the Lord. But when we use the phrase “the Lord’s temple/house”, we should not forget that it does not simply refer to a building; it refers to those who believe in God. Following Pentecost, all believers in Christ are a temple of the Lord; we are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of God and God fills the house w/glory. The holy of holies, the temple of Solomon, the altars of sacrifice; these all served the purposes of God as history began to unfold and we arrive at the words of the gospel writers and the birth of our Savior. All of those things are a part of our Old Testament history as a people of God; but as New Testament Christians, our future lies with Christ, the cornerstone of the new temple, which is the body of believers. Christ is referred to as the cornerstone of the church in Isaiah (28:16-17), Ephesians (2:19-21) and in 1st Peter (2:6). Therefore, we must go beyond what the eye can see as we read this passage from Haggai. In lectionary group last Monday, Pastor Nancy Didway brought up a sermon she had heard about or read with part of the title as “Worship, Work and Wait”. Of course I had to find it on line and it was authored by the Rev. Jonathan Spurlock*. I offer you a portion of his words within my own this morning. [We can worship the Lord by turning to God from idols. By idol, we dont have to restrict that to mean visible things we bow to in worship; an idol can be anyone or anything that takes our attention away from God.]* Those words caused me to reflect on Haggai and his peers. As they looked back at the glory and magnificence of Solomon’s temple; it had become an idol for them. It was not just about their collective history as a people and what had been lost, but the “it will never be the same” outlook was impeding their progress on God’s behalf and affecting their worship of God. They were at a place spiritually where they “coveted” what had been rather than worshipping the God who had provided it. Next, as we think about the work we do, [We all know that as believers in Christ there is plenty to do for the Lord while we are on this earth.]* We may not be building a temple, or laying the foundation of the church; but we are building the church w/our prayers, our offerings, our service, and being a witness for Christ in all we do. And then we come to “wait”. Rev. Spurlock wrote “. . . we always have the promise He is coming back”.* As the body of Christ, we covet that promise, we know it in our hearts and in our minds; but the waiting is hard. The children of Israel cried out to God for 400+ years, waiting for release from Egypt. The people of God waited through 400 years of silence from Malachi’s last words to the gospel of Matthew which begins: “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, the son of Abraham.” As Christians, seeking relationship w/God, to be faithful followers of our Lord; it would appear that religion has us living in two worlds at the same time. The reality of the world in which we live as created beings; and the spiritual beings we become once we accept Christ and become a part of the spiritual body of Christ. It is the body of Christ that sustains us until our eternal home is ready; and during that time we must “worship, work and wait”. And while we do that, we are in a sense like Solomon’s temple; we are broken stones that have been scattered, and at times we become discouraged and lose our sense of purpose; much like those of Haggai’s day. But as God’s people, we can gather together as those broken stones in praise to God, living in the hope of his word; waiting for the return of the one we call the Prince of Peace and knowing that when that time comes; all that awaits us will be greater than the glory of the [this] former house”.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 20:56:22 +0000
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